


The Coffee Bandit

by brilliantbanshee



Series: 911: Lone Star AUs [1]
Category: 9-1-1: Lone Star (TV 2020)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Carlos is smooth, M/M, alternate first meeting, meet cute
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-24
Updated: 2020-05-24
Packaged: 2021-03-06 02:47:17
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,664
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25956226
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/brilliantbanshee/pseuds/brilliantbanshee
Summary: A coffee mix up leads to an alternate meet-cute for our boys.
Relationships: Carlos Reyes/TK Strand
Series: 911: Lone Star AUs [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1883908
Comments: 3
Kudos: 35
Collections: 9-1-1 Lone Star ▶ Carlos Reyes / Tyler Kennedy "TK" Strand





	The Coffee Bandit

**Author's Note:**

  * For [theskyisblue](https://archiveofourown.org/users/theskyisblue/gifts).



> This was requested by theskyisblue who asked for an alternate version of a meet-cute, possibly with a coffee mix order mix up.
> 
> This was fun to write and I hope this is what you were looking for!
> 
> This was originally posted in a collection of AU stories, but after my role reversal AU took over I decided it needed its own fic so I am reposting this one - the only additional chapter in that collection - here.

###  [Chapter 1](https://archiveofourown.org/works/24347512/chapters/58710874): The Coffee Bandit

TK thought he was settling into Austin pretty well. He had been keeping busy with the renovations at the stations and the interviews for the crew, but in his downtime he had been doing his best to explore the city. So far he had found a good jogging route, a great organic market, even a decent boba place. The only struggle had been a coffee shop. 

There was one right around the corner from the station that he had been hopeful about. The decor was kind of a cozy modern style and they had a great tea selection. He had ordered a matcha latte and leaned back to wait. The vibe of this place was pretty great; it was somehow simultaneously energetic and laid back. His name was called and he stepped forward, grabbing the cup nearest to him on the edge of the counter, flashing a smile to the barista. He took a sip as he turned around and almost spit it out. It was definitely not the green tea he had ordered, but he opened the lid to confirm. 

The lid lifted to reveal the warm brown of coffee rather than the vivid green matcha he had been expecting. He turned around to say something, but one look at the barista drove any thoughts of complaining from his mind. She was a young girl, no more than 19, and she was working by herself. She already looked frazzled - TK couldn’t bring himself to put anything else on her. With a sigh he replaced the lid and exited the shop. As he took another sip he gave thanks that she had at least managed to put some hazelnut in when she screwed up his order; it actually wasn’t half bad. 

* * *

The first time the coffee shop screwed up his order he knew it was an accident. It had been busy and the poor barista had been overwhelmed. 

But the second time? He was starting to wonder if this was personal. 

Of course it was the one day he was running late so by the time his order arrived on the counter he grabbed it and was out the door and halfway down the block before he even took a sip. He faltered in his steps as he peered down at the cup. Not only was it not his order, but it was the same exact mix up as last time. He ran through the process of ordering in his head and wondered if maybe it was something about his inflection that made “matcha latte with oat milk” sound like “hazelnut coffee.” He glanced back at the shop and considered going back and asking for a replacement, but a quick glance at his watch told him that was not happening today. He sighed and took another sip of the hazelnut coffee as he continued his walk to the station. 

He hoped whoever had his matcha was enjoying it. 

* * *

The third, fourth, and fifth time it happened TK simply accepted his hazelnut coffee without question. 

It wasn’t that he didn’t like coffee; it was just that he preferred to not drink it before a shift because they certainly drank more than enough of it during shift. Though if it was going to keep showing up with hazelnut, he supposed he couldn’t complain too much. It could be worse; it could be caramel, or something fruity. 

He had mentioned the predicament to the others once in passing and Mateo had asked him why he didn’t just go to a different coffee shop. TK really didn’t have a good answer to that. There was just something about that place that he liked. It had a good feeling and the employees - despite the fact that they apparently had a mental block when it came to his order - seemed really nice. He had gotten chatting with some of them during slow mornings and had found that they were genuinely kind and interesting people. The proximity to the station didn’t hurt either.

Paul suggested that maybe they just thought that hazelnut coffee should be his drink, and TK didn’t know how he felt about being essentially set up on a blind date with his drink order. Judd simply wondered why he was even going to a coffee shop anyways when that had a “monstrosity of a coffee maker or something” (his words) there at the station. TK waved him off with a roll of his eyes, but the truth was that it was kind of a ritual. Something he always did and had always done before his shift. It helped to ground him; to calm him before the start of another inevitably crazy and stressful day. 

So it continued; each day before his shift TK would enter the coffee shop, greet the baristas, order his matcha latte, and leave with his hazelnut coffee. It became a routine; just another aspect of his life here in Austin. 

On one such morning, TK relayed his order to the usual barista - Shannon - manning the register. This morning there were two people on shift so she relayed the order to the other barista, who picked up a cup and labeled it with a sharpie from her apron pocket. TK furrowed his brows, “Have you always labeled the cups?” he asked, “I don’t remember ever noticing that before.” 

Shannon shook her head, “Jayla’s new. She just moved to town and apparently that’s what they used to do at her last job, so when she asked if we did I figured we may as well try it.” 

TK nodded as he stepped out of line and let the person behind him step up to place their order. As much as he liked this place experience had shown him that accuracy was not their strongest suit, so this labeling practice could be interesting. 

He leaned on his usual spot against the wall before the counter, idly fiddling with his phone as he waited. When his name was called he stepped forward and grabbed the cup. He was about to take a sip when the inscription caught his eye. He turned the cup to see it better. 

“Carlos?” he read aloud, puzzled. He heard a chuckle from behind him. 

“So you must be the coffee bandit,” a smooth voice said. TK spun around to find a (very attractive) police officer smiling at him. TK gaped at him for a moment before his brain managed to put together the pieces. “Carlos?” he asked. 

The officer grinned and stuck out his hand, “Carlos Reyes, nice to meet you. Should I just call you Mr. Green Tea, or do I get to know the name of the man who has been stealing my coffee for the past month?” 

Oh. _Oh._

“TK Strand,” he said weakly, reaching out to shake the offered hand, “and I am so sorry. I had no idea; I just thought it was a mistake.” 

Carlos raised his eyebrows, “For an entire month?” 

TK shrugged, “Stranger things have happened. Besides, it seemed like something silly to get worked up over. What about you? You clearly were not looking to be drinking matcha every day, why didn’t you say anything?” 

Now it was Carlos’s turn to look a little sheepish, “Same as you I guess. It didn’t seem like enough of an issue to make a fuss and I was honestly curious to see how long it would take before you figured it out.”

TK looked at him incredulously, “You knew I was taking your coffee? For how long?” 

“It is kind of my job to figure things out,” Carlos said dryly, gesturing towards his uniform (which TK could not help but notice fit him _very_ well), “I was pretty sure after the second time, and certain after the third. I have to say that the matcha kind of grew on me though.” 

It was TK’s turn to laugh, “The hazelnut coffee’s not too bad either.” 

The stood in silence for a few moments before TK spoke again, “I suppose I owe you some coffee, at the very least.” 

Carlos hummed consideringly, “I supposed that’s fair. Besides, if we order together I think I stand a much better chance of actually seeing my coffee.” 

“So, is it a date?”

Carlos reached around him to the counter and grabbed the cup waiting behind them. He grabbed a pen from the jar next to the register and scribbled something on it. He replaced the pen and handed the cup to TK with a sly grin. 

“Count on it,” he said before taking his coffee from TK’s other hand and exiting the coffee shop. 

TK remained rooted to his spot by the counter, stunned by this latest turn of events. He couldn’t believe that had just happened. There is no way any of this was real. But a glance down at the cup in his hand proved him wrong. His name was scrawled underneath the rim in sharpie, and below that; in blue pen and neat handwriting, was a phone number. 

TK felt a grin spread across his face even as his heart fluttered. He knew there was a reason he liked this coffee shop. 

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